Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Segment #1 Salvation vs Housing: Union Rescue Mission vs Government ProgramsCounty of LA is at odds with the Union Rescue Mission (URM). According the Rev. Andy Bales, Chief Executive Officer of the URM care provided to homeless was blamed for adding to the homeless problems in L A County. The Los Angeles Homless Services Authority, a County/City joint government agency that oversees multi-millions in Federal funds for emergency shelter and housing apparently does not want homeless families to be "taken in" off the street by the URM. LAHSA Executive Director Michael Arnold said what they want is for homeless families to stay (on the streets) in their communities, so the communities will become aware of their need.

Segment #2 Conflict Over Homeless CareAre homeless families being used as "pawns" in the battle for control over Federal Funding? L A County Adminstrator Mike Arnold says the local City Councils should address the problem. Rev. Andy Bales says that the Union Rescue Mission is dedicated to "taking in" the homeless and needy families when and where needed as they have for the past 120 years.

Segment #3 Homeless Funds Withheld From Faith Based AgencyLife Transformation is #1 goal of the Union Rescue Mission for the down and out. But L A County appears to discourage this approach. URM stepped up to provide emergency shelter services when other agencies would not, they soon learned that the efforts were not appreciated.

Segment #4 Battle For Homeless Federal Funds or Homeless Souls?Mike Arnold of LAHSA Los Angeles Homeless Services Agency describes how he administers the multi-millions in Federal Funds for homeless programs in LA County. He says the County favors permanent housing for homeless and shares his concerns about the Union Rescue Mission efforts to provide hope and spiritual guidance are not compatible with the County's "public procurement" process used by LAHSA in dealing with the problem of homeless.

Segment #5 Privately Funded Homeless Programs Fill VoidRev. Bales vows the URM will continue winter emergency services for the homeless with private funds. Rev. Bales says that year round services are the goal to solve the problem. This need is what activated Rev. Bales and describes how his home video of Hospital dumping patients on LA Skid Row went viral on TV and forced the hospital to stop their "dumping" practices. He bristled when told by LAHSA to "close your doors to homeless families with children" so the communities would step up to help them.

Segment #6 Government Goal is Housing, Not Serving, The HomelessUnion Rescue Mission's method is providing private support for life transformation classes, that require sobriety and not just "three hots and a cot" is the most effective, according to Rev. Andy Bales . But LAHSA Government programs are targeting the chronically homeless with housing using Federal Funds from HUD (Dept. of Housing & Urban Development. ) The objective for both is to establish Regional services but the URM and LAHSA differ on how to do it. Mike Arnold tells of Government Plan to end homelessness by working with the L A Chamber Task Force and United Way.

Los Angeles, CAFormer U.S. Prosecutor Richard I. Fine, Ph.D. is calling for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate the Department of Justice and HUD (Dept. Housing & Urban Development cover up of a Marina del Rey $125 million loan guarantee for a luxury apartment complex. Marina del Rey resident Professor Daniel Gottlieb, Ph.D. received (this letter) following his request for investigation submitted to the U. S. Attorney's office. This shocking response from the Department of Justice (DOJ), saying the U.S. Attorney does not conduct investigations, was proof positive the cover up was coming from Washington, according to Dr. Fine.

A front-page story in the Sunday L.A. Times' Business Section HERE paints a "rosy" picture for the 554-unit Marina del Rey luxury apartment complex on county-owned property that was awarded the largest-ever HUD loan guarantee (in the West).

FINANCING PROBLEMSDeveloper Jerry Epstein made statements, quoted in the article, acknowledging problems with financing, saying he was "hard pressed to find traditional financing with reasonable terms for his Shores project." He said, "I have had over 60 years of experience with banks with never a problem." This statement drew a quick response from long-time opponents of his project who are calling for a SPECIAL PROSECUTOR to investigate the HUD loan guarantee and the failure of Epstein to disclose a bankruptcy and ongoing contentious litigation on the project.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Segment #1: Call for Special Prosecutor on HUD Loan & DOJ Cover-UpFormer U S ProsecutorRichard I Finedescribes how the U. S. Attorney's Office has become involved in the HUD cover-up of a Marina del Rey $125 million loan guarantee for a luxury apartment complex. Following thisrequest for investigationsubmitted to the U.S. Attorney 's office ,a prompt response was received byProfessor Daniel Gottlieb, (in this letter) from the Department of Justice, saying the U.S. Attorney did not conduct investigations. According to Fine this response was proof positive of the spreading cover-up.

Segment #2: Easy Steps On How To Convict Corrupt OfficialsFormer U. S. ProsecutorRichard I. Fine, Ph.D.reveals how easy it is for the U.S. Attorney to call a Grand Jury to obtain Federal indictments on the HUD cover-up of a $125 million loan guarantee on a Marina del Rey apartment complex. He outlines the prosecution process and details the numerous public records available to prove a case under the Racketeering Influence and Corruption Organizations Act (RICO) and how very simple the process is to get convictions involving the L A County Supervisors, Superior Court Judges and Developers in Los Angeles, a case in point, the Marina Del Rey Shores development.

Segment #3: Special Prosecutor Needed on HUD Loan ApplicationFormer US ProsecutorRichard I. Finewarns it is a federal crime when HUD awards a $125 million Loan Guarantee a Marina del Rey apartment complex that has only 54 units reserved for low income residents, that adds up to $2.5 million per low income unit. The remaining 500 luxury units are for high income residents in the development. He calls for a Special Prosecutor to be appointed to prosecute this federal crime.

Segment #4 Experts Reveal DOJ & HUD ActionsThis two-part television series features former U.S. ProsecutorRichard I. FineandDaniel Gottlieb, Ph.D. providing commentary on the involvement of the Department and Justice and HUD o the "Shores" Real Estate development in Marina del Rey that at one time would have been a "sure thing". According to Fine, this project is much more risky and difficult to get HUD financing for a complex that set aside only 54 units for low income residents. Former U S Prosecutor Richard I. Fine describes how HUD funds would have to be are being diverted from low income housing to this luxury 500 unit apartment project even when critical information was withheld on the HUD Application.

Segment #5: U.S. Attorney.......We Don't Investigate CrimesRichard Finetells Full Disclosure that the U S Attorney's claim the DOJ does not investigate crimes is preposterous. He describes how a questionable HUD loan guarantee for luxury apartments in Marina del Rey appears to be a Federal Crime. Fine says the developer's failure to disclose a bankruptcy in their $125 million HUD application is an indication that his Marina del Rey "Shores" project will have an uncertain outcome and could be costly to taxpayers.